The Dutch Raid 1667

From the Essex Record Office

By Janet Penn

Information of Joseph Cole of Canvey Island, yeoman, and wife, Rosemond, that John Gentbridge alias John of Gaunte of Canvey Island, carpenter, did on 24 July last "goe on board one of ye Dutch Shippes then riding before ye said Island & about foure of ye clocke in ye afternoone of ye same day came on shoare in a Boate belonging to ye Dutch fleete w[i]th aboute fifteene of ye Enemies in her whoe came to the house of ye said Joseph Cole & did Plunder ye house of ye said Joseph of severall goodes and that the said John Gentbridge alias John of Gaunt did in ye meane time sitt in ye Enemies boate and did goe backe againe in the same boate aboard one of the shippes belonging to ye Dutch fleete And did Comonly since the Warre goe on board severall of Ostenders as they came upp the River of Thames & further they depose not." Marks of both deponents.

Information of Thomas Jennings of "ye same Iseland", husbandman, "that himselfe & the abovesaid John Gentbridge alias John of Gaunte did upon the said 24th of July last (in ye boate of ye said John) goe on board of a Rack which was fired? ye day before and as they were by ye Rackside they were p[ur]sued by one of ye Enemies boats which [caused? omitted] this deponent & Gaunte to runn theire boate on ye Kentish shore & to leave theire boate but afterwards the said John of Gaunt (as he is most comonly called) went backe againe upon ye Owse towards ye waterside & made a weife with his Hatt to ye Dutch boate to Carry him aboard ye Enemies fleete whoe perceiving his intent did come back & Carry ye said John of Gaunt aboard ye Dutch fleete & further he deposeth not." Mark of deponent.

Examination of John of Gentbridge alias John of Gaunte of Canvey Island, carpenter, before William Lord Maynard and Sir Henry Appleton, J.P.s, at Rochford that "upon Wednesday ye 24th of July last he did [words eaten away] board one of ye Dutch shippes that had lost her Toppmast for to [words eaten away] whether he could get his boate againe which the said shippes boate had taken from him & being examined by us why did goe on board the said Dutch shipps boate the said Gaunte [illegible] that it was because that he had heard that one Giles van Bell, Peter Lodwick & Edward Gillman who had beene formerly taken Prisoners had [illegible] And being further demanded why he came on shoare in ye Enemies boate & staid therein while the Informante Cole's house was plundered the said Examminate saith that he was forced to pilott theire boate on shoare for to take two Trawlers which lay then on shoare in Hole Haven and that he did tell the [illegible] Boats Crewe that there was not water enough soe to do [illegible] Whereupon they went and plundered ye said Cole's house and left him in ye Boate wth two of theire men & afterwards returned to theire shipp & Carried this Examinat alongest wth them And that [illegible] aboute Candles Light he with one old Walter of ?ford Fisherman & his servant whoe were Prisonrs were discharged with his Boate & comeing on shoare [illegible] in his boate was retaken & Carried on board ye [illegible] of ye Dutch & there [illegible] untill aboute one of ye [Clocke?] in ye morning And that he did not then heare of any fireshipps comeing from Harwich And the said John of Gaunte doth denie the Carryeing of any Letters or other intelligence unto the Dutch and further he saith not" Signature of John Gentbrigg

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